Combined typewriting and comput



March 30, 1937. o. THIEME 2,075,557

CQMBINED TYPEWRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1931 INVENTOR:

Patented Mar. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT 1 OFFICE ING MACHINE COLIBINED TYPEWRITING AND COMPUT- Application September 18, 1931, Serial No. 563,033

Clalms.

This invention relates to the indexing mechanism of combined adding and typewriting machines, in which the type-keys set up indexing devices preparatory to adding the amount that 5 istyped. The invention presents an improvement upon the indexing mechanism disclosed in the patent to Hanson, 1,416,464, of May 16, 1922.

An object of the invention is to compact the mechanism, the indexing or pin-carrying bar occupying less space widthwise of themachine.

A further object is to simplify the parts and reduce the cost oi! manufacture, as well as to improve the operation of the mechanism, and to render it more responsive, reliable and durable.

L) drilled in a row through the indexing bar from top to bottom, and index-pins are set in these holes, a returning spring being coiled around each pin. On the side of the patented bar is fastened an overhanging plate, which enters notches that are cut in the pins, to prevent them from rotating; and said plate also serves as top and bottom stops. A universal spring-pressed latch-plate holds the pins in normal and depressed positions. The latch-plate can be cammed to one side by any descending pin, so as to release any pin that is already depressed.

According to the present improvements, the

indexing bar (usually formed with a registerdriving rack and other appurtenances) is in the form of a plate stamped from sheet-metal, and the index-pins are placed in a rack that is secured against the side of the indexing bar. This rack has a horizontal groove or main channel of rectangular contour cut in one side for its entire length; and it also has spaced vertical rectangular cuts each open at top and bottom. Each indexpin is simply cut from sheet-metal, and is flat, and fits in one of the rectangular cross-cuts, by which it is guided, and also crosses or descends through the main channel in the rack, and is encasedby the rack against the side of the indexing bar.

Each pin is formed with a shoulder, which is flange of the rack. This shoulder also engages the lower flange of the rack at the down stroke of the pin.

The returning springs of the pins are simple helices, which are dropped into the channel between the pins, the space between the pins being just suilicient to house the spring. There is formed on each pin a finger or bearer that overtops the spring, and the latter, by pressing up against this bearer, returns the pin to nor- In said patent, vertical cylindrical holes are normally pressed up by a spring against the top mal position, the pin being arrested by engagement of the bearer with the top flange oi the rack. Assembling is very inexpensive, since the pins and springs may be readily made and placed in the grooves in the channeled rack, and the latter may be fastened to the side of the indexing bar.

Upon said rack is hinged a latch, in the form of a sheet-metal plate having ears 'at its ends which are pivoted to the ends of the rack. The latch has a top inturned flange, which serves as a universal detent for the pins, and engages grooves in the sides of the pins. A spring holds the latch in normal position. When any pin is depressed, it forces the universal latch to one side, thereby releasing the formerly set pin. Upon completion of the depression of any pin, it is held depressed by the latch-bar, which enters another notch therein.

The pins are fiat and thin, and the rack is also thin, and the indexing bar that supports it is also very thin, so that these devices can be com pactly mounted side by side in the machine, as required. The springs move freely in their confinement, and have no opportunity to bind or to function improperly. The liability of clogging by dust, etc., is minimized or overcome.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective to illustrate the normal construction and operation of the indexing bar.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal elevation of an indexing bar having the present improvements embodied therein.

Figure 3 is a perspective sectional view, showing index-pins in different positions, and illustrating the operation of the universal latch.

Figure 4 is a perspective showing the parts separated.

Figure 5 shows an Underwood combined typewriting and computing machine embodied in the present improvements.

Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the novel indexpin.

As usual, keys III operate numeral-types II that strike upon a platen II on a carriage i3, which is fed by an escapement-mechanism i4, i5, and also carries a dog It having a tooth ii to operate jacks ll. These jacks depress rods it, each of which vibrates a lever is and operates a bellcrank to set forwardly an indexing bar 2i. This indexing bar has a longitudinal row of indexing pins 22, which are advanced suiiiciently to bring them beneath key-operated pin-depressing bars 23, which extend across the machine and form portions of linkages 25, the latter being operable as usual by means of pins 25 pendent from the numeral-keys i6. After the indexing 5 of the pins 22 by the keys, the indexing bars 2| are advanced by general operator 26, so that their racks 21 operate dial-pinions 28.

The indexing pins 22 form a row extending longitudinally of the indexing bar 2|, and are encased between said bar and a rack 29. The rack is illustrated as a plate that is held against the side of the indexing bar 2| by means of rivets30, the upstanding pins being confined by and loosely fitting between the rack 29 andthe plate-like body of the indexing bar 2|.

The pins normally project up above the casing, but upon-- depression of the key its crossbar 23 will press down a pin, causing it to project below the casing. The upper and lower pin-positions are shown at Figures 1, 2 and 3.

It is desired to hold the pin in its set position,

as in the case of the right-hand pin at Figure 2; and for this purpose there is employed a latch 3|, which is in the form of a flange formed upon 25 a plate 32 extending alongthe rack and having cars 33 through which extend .pintles 34, whereby the latch is hinged upon the ends of the rack 29. Compression-springs 35 are housed in the rack and press outwardly against the body 32 of 0 the universal latch, at points thereof below the cars 33, so as to press the flange or tooth portion 3| of the latch inwardly against the indexpins 22. Hence, when any pin is depressed, the latch will snap into a notch 36 that is formed 35 at the top of the pin 22. One pin is depressed upon each of the indexing bars 2|, preparatory to running the number into the dial-wheel's.

When a wrong pin is depressed, it is only necessary to set the typewriter-carriage back one step, and then strike thecorrect key, which will depress the correct pin, and will further operate to restore to normal position the incorrect pin. As the correct pin is thrust down, a cam 31 thereon will cam the latch 3| away from the rack, and 5 thereby release the previously-set index-pin 22, which is at once snapped up by its returning spring 38 to normal position; while the latch 3| snaps into notch 36 of the correct pin and holds it down.

The cam 31 forms the upper face of a notch 39 that is formed in each pin just below the notch 36. The notches 39 are normally occupied by the universal latch 3|, but, upon depressing any pin, the cam 31 forces the entire latch to one side, and as soon as the pin is depressed, the springs 35 snap the latch into the upper notch 36 to lock the pin down, the latch also re-entering the lower notches in the remaining pins.

The rack 29, with its set of index-pins encased between the rack and the face of the indexing bar 2|, presents a light, compact and inexpensiveconstruction, inasmuch as the rack may be produced by simply forming a channel 40 for the length of the bar, the shallowness of the channel matching the thickness of the pins 22, so that the latter will fill the space or fit between the broad side of the channel and the side of the indexing bar 2|.

The rack may be formed with vertical channels 4| of the same shallowness or depth as the main channel 46, each vertical channel continuing through the upper and lower flanges 42 and 43 which are produced by forming the channel 46. The depth of each vertical or cross channel 7 5 4| matches that of the main channel 46, and

the width of the vertical channel 4| is equal to the width of the pin 22; thus when the rack is fastened to the side of the indexing bar, it is found that all of the pins are securely mounted and guided, while the necessity of individual fastenings for the pins is avoided.

A further feature is that one pin may co-opcrate with the next pin to form a housing for its pin-spring 38. Each pin is provided with a stop-shoulder 44, which arrests the depression of the pin by engaging with the lower flange 43; and the spring 38 is dropped in between the stop-shoulder and the side of the adjacent pin. There is no need of individual fastenings for the 'springaas they are closely housed or confined by the adjacent pins, and by the top and bottom flanges 42, 43, as well as by the walls 29 and 2| of the casing. Therefore all of the moving parts in the set are mounted by means of the two members 29, 2|, which are universal thereto, thus securing cheapness and compactness.

Included in this set of pins is a. zero-pin 45, which is depressible by a cross-bar 45 which is operated by the zero-key, and is also depressible by a lever 46,- which is pivoted at-4'| upon the in dexing bar 2|. At the conclusion of the operation of the general operator 26, a universal bar 48 rises and lifts all of the depressed levers 46, thereby depressing their zero-pins 45 and releasing the latches 3|, so that all depressed index-pins are'returned by their springs to normal positions. The zero-pin 45 has a cutout 49, which serves as a bearing-for the rear end of the lever 46, which plays between the indexing bar 2| andthe rack 29.

All of the pins are supplied with upper stops 50 for arresting the up strokes of the pins. These stop-pins contact with the upper flange 42; and

said stops are broadened so as to form bearers for the compression-springs 38. The last rear compression spring is guided between its pin and a filler-block 5|, which isplaced in the channel 40 and fastened by the rivets 30. l A similar fillerblock 52 may be used in the other end of the channel 40.

The Hanson guide-plate is eliminated in the present invention, which prevented the round pins from turning. The round pins had to be milled on two sides, at considerable expense, as great care had to be taken in getting them properly located for the cutters. In the present invention flat pins are used which are cheap to manufacture, as they may be punched and then smoothed down on the side where the projecting ledges are, to make a perfect fit, The sides adjacent the projecting ledges are provided with milled grooves, and the pins being flat are easily located for the millers, and ten or more of these pins can be milled at one operation.

The guide-holes for said Hanson round pins must be all individually drilled twice, as said holes were made of two different diameters. These holes were also separately reamed for each Hanson pin. It was very hard to get these holes in the exact position, and they might therefore vary four thousandths of an inch or more. In the present invention the bed or holding member is open on one side and utilizes the indexing bar for closing said opening when the bed is attached. The bed or rack may be put in the milling machine, and all the guideways for. the ten pins milled at one run of the milling machine, and in this manner a perfect alignment, that is correct within one thousandth of an inch in depth and pitch, can be cheaply obtained for said pins.

Furthermore advantage is taken of every bit of space between said pins, and they are provided with extensions, the upper extension acting as a stop, and also providing means whereby the springs may bear against said pins to return them to their normal position. In the present invention, the assembly of the complete indexing bar is made very simple and cheap.

The pins have a very light touch, and are condensed and the milling of these flat pins is much easier than that of a round pin, besides being much more accurate. The rack or bed-plate can be made more cheaply and quickly, and more accurately, the pins can be made much more cheaply and the returning springs do not have to be accurate, and can be made cheaply, and the whole indexing bar can be assembled rapidly and easily,

' and forms a condensed and accurately operating Din-bar.

The latching plate is beveled on its under side, and the lower edge of the top slot in the pin is rounded to cooperate with the round portion of said latching plate, to insure a locked pin being restored when said locking plate is swung out .by another pin being depressed. These two rounded corners insure the pin being released and passing said plate, and not being caught on any sharp corners, which is a valuable feature of the present invention.

At Figure 6 the opening of the upper notch 38 of the index-pin is broadly rounded at 51 on the lower face. .This permits the latching tooth 3| to be pressed inwardly by its springs 35 before the completion of the down stroke of the pin, thus avoiding danger of the latch failing to hold the pin down, as might otherwise occur.

For further insuring the snapping of the latch 3| into the upper notch, the indexing bars 23 are made to impart to the pins excessive downward motions. This lost or excessive motion gives time for the latch 3i to swing all the way into the notch. The clearance between the shoulder and the lower flange of the rack is seen at 54, Figure 3.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination, an indexing bar, a set of sliding index-pins therefor, a rack for mounting said index-pins, and means securing the rack to the side of the indexing bar; said rack having a horizontal longitudinal groove in one side, and having flanges above and below said groove, said flanges having spaced vertical guiding-cuts which open at top and bottom, in which the pins flt, the

pins occupying said groove, and each pin extending above the upper flange and having notches therein, each pin also having abutments projecting from one side of each pin into the groove between the flanges; said bar serving to conflne the pins in the rack, each abutment engageable respectively with a top or bottom flange, to serve as a stop, a universal plate having ears at either end and pivots connecting said ears to said rack, said plate having a latching flange cooperative with said notches to hold said pins in set posi-- tion.

2. In combination, an indexing bar, a set of sliding index-pins therefor, a rack for mounting said index-pins, and means securing the rack to the side of the indexing bar; said rack having aing above the upper flange and having notches therein, each pin also having abutments projecting from the pins into the groove; said bar ser'ving to confine the pins in the rack, the abutments being engageable respectively with a top or bottom flange, to serve as upper and lower stops, a universal plate having a latching flange and ears, and pivots on said rack, springs embedded in said rack below said pivots to force said latching flange into contact with said notches to hold said pins.

3. In combination, an indexing bar, a set of sliding index-pins therefor, a rack for mounting said index-pins, and means securing the rack to the side of the indexing bar; said rack having a horizontal longitudinal groove in one side, and having flanges above and below said groove, said flanges having spaced vertical guiding-cuts which open at top and bottom, each index-pin fltting in one of the vertical cuts and extending above said upper flange and having notches therein, the pins being encased between the rack and the side of the indexing bar, each pin being flat and formed with two flange-engaging projections to serve as stops, and having a returning spring which presses up beneath one of said projections, the pins, projections and springs occupyingsaid groove, a universal plate having a latching flange pivoted to said rack, springs embedded in said rack and pressing on said plate to force said latching flange into said notches.

4. An indexing bar and pins settable therein, said bar having a longitudinally extended groove with upper and lower flanges, said flanges having therethrough spaced upper and lower guiding cuts, said pins lying in said cuts and extending beyond said upper flange, and having notches in said pins above said upper flange, a springpressed universal plate having a latching flange cooperative with said notches above said upper flange to temporarily hold said pins in set positions, each of said pins also having a stop shoulder cooperative with said lower flange to limit its downward movement and a side projection extending in the same direction but beyond said stop shoulder, and a spring in said groove below each projection and adjacent each stop shoulder, said springs all seated on said lower flange.

5. An' indexing bar having upper and lower flanges with transverse notches therein, pins in o'rro THIEME. 

